Determination Of Sex

There are two different types of sexes, that participate in the sexual reproduction. So it is natural to find it confounding as from which sex the baby inherits, that results in the sex of the child. There are several other procedures followed to determine the sex of a newborn baby. Based on the environmental signals the sex of a baby can be determined. In few animal species, temperature plays a major role in sex determination. In other animals, like snails, it is possible to change sex as they are not genetically processed. In human beings, the sex of an individual is genetically determined. In other words, the genes which are inherited by their parents decide the sex of the child.

Determination Of Sex

To understand how the determination of sex happens, we need to know the following process.

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Out of these 23 pairs, 22 pairs are Autosomes and only one pair is the ‘Sex Chromosome’, which actively takes part in the process of sex determination.

Both males and females carry two sets of sex chromosome.

Male has one X and one Y (XY) sex chromosome in which both are active

Female has both X (XX) sex chromosome in which one is active.

The XY sex-determination system is found in humans, mammals, in some insects, and in few plant species.

All children will inherit an X chromosome from their mother despite whether they are boy or girl. Thus, the sex of the children will be determined by the type of chromosome inherited from their father.

A child who inherits Y chromosome will be a boy and who inherits X chromosome will be a girl.

A male semen’s holds approximately 50 percent of Y sperm cells and other 50 percent of X sperm cells. Therefore, there are possibilities that men with three or more children of a single gender.